Be not afraid!

When I was growing up, because of our family circumstances, a Priest would come to our house to hear our confessions. As a result, I'd never actually been to confession in a confessional. When I left home to go to university, I really wanted to do so, but I wasn't sure exactly how. I could remember being taught it at school, but I'd long since forgotten. I looked around in various places for a guide on how to go to confession, but couldn't find anything. Finally I decided to do what would have been sensible to do in the first place - go to confession and tell the Priest I wasn't sure what the exact procedure was. By this stage I'd done things that really needed confessing, and I was actually quite scared of going to confession. I prayed for a long time before going to the Church and realised that I was actually shaking with nerves. I then happened to look down at a book I had by Pope John Paul the Great. On the back was written "Be not afraid". It was like a personal message that immediately reassured me and gave me a wonderful confidence as I went to confession, something that really unblocked a whole range of things to me. Looking back now I realise that it was from then that the path was opened again to me to rediscover my vocation to Priesthood that I'd pushed aside for a number of years.

I was very struck by Pope Benedict's inaugural homily when he also said "Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life."

At the moment I'm facing a big decision and need to really find the courage to follow Christ's call without fear. I'd be grateful for your prayers.